I've just got a copy of a letter sent from the GI I saw a couple of weeks ago to my doctor - great news as all blood tests have come back normalso looks like the surgery I had recently has worked and no on-going inflammation - phew!! It means that pains I am getting now must be 'mechanical' or healing/nerve pain.

I have had most of small bowel removed and hemicolectomy (TI - apparently still saying 195cm left of sb but I'm going to question this as would have thought loads of problems with so little left?) and am moving towards the remission maintenance drugs decision.

Question: are Pentasa/Asacol etc only used for maintenance meds in large bowel CD or can they be used for ileum/stricture type like I seem to have?

I would prefer to go on these than Imuran but don't know enough about differences and how they decide which is appropriate. I'm seeing consultant on 10th so any answers welcome

Congratulations on a successful surgery!! That's great to hear that it's helped you so much.

I really thought that pentasa was designed specifically to hit the ileum. I'm pretty sure that's what it's for whereas asacol is mostly for the large colon hence why it's prescribed so much to sufferers of colitis.

Pentasa has helped me a lot. I started a lot of different kinds of medication when I started the pentasa so I can't say how long it takes for it to work. Everything at once nearly did me in, but after treatment in the hospital things got better and pentasa has helped keep me feeling well.20 years old, Diagnosed with moderate to severe Crohn's and Colitis in May of 2008.Currently taking:Prednisone 10 mg, pentasa 2 pills 4x a day, bentyl as needed, omeprazole in the morning, prenatal multivitamin, humira every other week, and Align probiotics given to me by my GI. Diet almost completely without refined sugars, wheat, flour, gluten, high lactose dairy, and/or junk food in general. http://bonniegriffith.blogspot.com/Learning how to live again."He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how."

LMills is right, they are sort of the same medication, just engineered to release their medication at different times in the intestines. From what I understand, Pentasa breaks down quickly for small bowel, asacol slower for the large. In my experience, they've all been considered maintainence drugs.

And that's wonderful about the surgery, I'm so happy for you! It must be a relief. I'm going for an EUA on the 10th, with a possible fistulotomy and seton. We'll see.I am a pre-30yr. old who has been diagnosed with Crohn's for 14 years. Symptoms change from cramping and weight loss to severe anemia with fatigue and diarrhea.

I'm DONE (D-O-N-E, DONE!!!) with immuno-suppressants. Tremble, yee Pharmacuetical companies, for you will not withstand the aggressive onslaught of our healing!